The ever present and all-encompassing world of social media is really pretty interesting if you think about it. And these days it goes way beyond just Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, You Tube, WordPress, etc. I'm sure about 95% of you, or more, have one or multiple accounts on these pages. And why shouldn't/wouldn't you? If you didn't you would be a very select few; which would leave you to feel "left out" in a sense.

So, when you find yourself on the "feeds" of these sites. . . what is the overwhelming common theme? Super cute kids with their $200 birthday cakes, adorable animals, hot selfies, vacation pics in amazing places (oh these make me mad!), workout bragging/muscle selfies, healthy meal photos, and mostly just general happiness.

On the flip side, MOST are not posting when they want to kill their children, when their pets pee on the floor, awful photos of themselves, horrible vacation pictures, when they didn't workout that day, when they ate junk food, or when they think they have a family/life crisis. Yes, a few do, but rarely.

My point is social media, much like "reality" TV, isn't real at all. Say, for example, the Biggest Loser or The Bachelorette isn't real by any stretch of the imagination. First off, it is a 100% enclosed environment controlled by TV (which is also controlled by advertising of course). A: of course it isn't REAL life and B: You see what clips the networks want you to see to keep viewing (i.e. advertisers paying for the necessary and likely intentional, drama).

Many of you may be thinking "DUH?!", but it is something that we need to be reminded of from time to time. I feel social media is the everyday person's version of reality TV. Do I post stuff here and there? Yup. Do I look at it every day? Yes, guilty as charged. And on some levels I can't afford not to be on there, as a business owner. Many businesses don't even have a website now due to social media, as it is free and easily accessible.

So this is what I feel is happening: I'll be honest: I sometimes feel ugly when I see a great selfie, sometimes I get jealous when another climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro, or I have envy with one's amazing new house. BUT on the other hand did I post, for example, when I last vacationed. . . so hypocrisy it is.

Recent studies have shown that social media can affect self-esteem, especially in women (I could have told you that), and it is truly unfortunate as again, this arena sets a "perception" of what is happy or attractive. To add forums such as Instagram create photos that are most often "filtered" so again not reality!!

In all honestly, let's all take social media lightly. It is really easy to feel "inadequate", in whatever way, when people present themselves in a happy/high/attractive light; each and every one that does so also struggles obviously. Of course we don't want people to post about negativity and complaints. It is nice to see and hear about others' happiness. But just don't let it demise your own.